Cosmo Memory
by Dilly-Oh
Summary: A three part ficlet featuring Nanaki or Red XIII, whichever you prefer, and how he was captured by Shinra and then met Cloud and the gang. Short, sweet, and to the point. Fans or Nanaki or FFVII will like, I hope. Read and review, please!
1. Chapter 1: Running

Author's Note: Here's an old fanfic I wrote years ago, when I was in High School. It's pretty much my first _serious_ fanfic, as I tend to only write the genre I'm good at - comedy. It's a short story about how Red XIII (my all-time favorite character from FFVII) got captured by Shinra and met Cloud and the gang. I hope ya like it. Feel free to check out my other fics (They're all comedies, though). This is the first chapter of three. Read and review, if you like.

Disclaimer: I don't own Red XIII or FFVII.

Cosmo Memory

Chapter 1

Running

Nanaki ran.

Pumping his great, powerful legs, gulping down lungful after lungful of air, he ran. The sharp stones and rocks that jutted from the bare red earth beneath him bit at his feet like small insects, causing small lances of pain to shoot up his legs. Nanaki ignored them.

He had to find her.

His legs felt like they were on fire. Burning. _Burning_. His throat and chest were also aflame. He glanced down at his long limbs, eating up the earth with his leaping strides, bounding down the Canyon, never tiring, never ending.

The Canyon.

Bleached blood red from the pitiless sun over thousands of years, the Canyon seemed to roar with flames, an inferno set alight by the dazzling sunset. Jagged rocks seemed to leap from the two opposite sides of the Canyon, creating small cliffs and caves that dotted the walls. Bare dirt stood stark on the Canyon floor, daring the world to defy it. This was _his_ Canyon. Nanaki's. His whole family had solemnly sworn to protect the valley from all dangers. Together, no enemy of Cosmo Canyon would ever set foot near their home.

Like the Gi.

Them. Those worthless, cowardly Gi had dared to attack their beloved Canyon. How dare they? As Nanaki's anger rose, he steeled himself, forcing his poundings legs to move faster.

He had to find her.

All the villagers treated him delicately, because he was so young and naive. Everyone laughed as if a good joke had been told when he reared up and tried to roar, tried to show the power with which he would defend the Canyon, his home. Father would laugh along, as always. But no, not her. She would always smile quietly, giving silent encouragement, even when Father scorned him. She was always there to help him up after a nasty fall, to lick his wounds after a vicious battle with one of the many monsters inhabiting the region, to give him comfort when he felt lonely. His Mother.

He _had_ to find her.

Nanaki skidded to a halt, panting harshly through his open mouth, red tongue lolling out. It had been this morning. The second Nanaki had opened his eyes, he knew there was something wrong. The air just didn't smell right. Fear, pain, and strangely enough, blood was in the air. Mother and Father were gone, too.

He should have known it was the Gi. Those scoundrels. Dirty, worthless scoundrels. Attacking the Canyon like this. How could they? His parents, of course, had left to defend the Canyon.

"But not me," Nanaki thought bitterly. "I'm to _young_ and _inexperienced_ to fight. So what if I'm only twenty years of age? That makes me six or seven in my own years. Isn't that old enough to protect the things I care about? I'll live much longer than humans, because of what I am."

Nanaki angrily fought back tears and pounded his thick tail against the cold, hard earth. Mother was out there somewhere, fighting the Gi. She was too old. She might die.

The words rang in Nanaki's mind. "She… might die." Even with Father there, she still was old and getting weaker every year. The thought caused Nanaki's body to tremble with dread. "No. Not yet. I'm not ready yet. I'll never be ready. Please, don't leave."

Pounding his tail one final time, Nanaki leapt off the small cliff into open air. "Find her," he thought as he landed running. "Find her, and save her." Yes, that was it. Save her.

Small birds darted around him, twittering shrilly and flapping their wings in his face. Nanaki charged past them. They didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was his Mother. Finding her and saving her. She still had some years left to live. He couldn't lose her. Not now, not ever.

Breaking away from the agitated birds, Nanaki quickly navigated the Canyon behind the village. He knew these rocks like the back of his paw. He could not, _would_ not fail at this. Leaping easily over several peaked rocks, Nanaki peered over a small cliff. And there, he saw them.

Gi. Hundreds of them. The enemy, this close to the Canyon. It wasn't possible. Where were his parents? They should be here. Nanaki hardened himself for the fight ahead. He had battled with the outside monsters frequently, strengthening his muscles and building up his Materia. He was as ready as he could be. Then the smell hit him.

It sent him reeling, the stench. It was a rotting, dead smell. His eyes watered and he gave off several loud coughs. He could almost taste it, it was so strong. Whatever all these Gi were before, they were dead now. Had been dead for hours. These must have been the front line, which meant…

Nanaki sat bolt upright, muscles suddenly tensing. He cautiously sniffed the air. He snorted abruptly. No use. Even if his parents had been here five minutes ago, he still wouldn't have smelled them through this curtain of death.

Giving a disappointed growl, Nanaki stood and shook out his spindly mane. Well, not exactly a mane. A mowhawk, really, that arched its way up his prominent backbone. He remembered beaming with pride when it first started to sprout, proud he was old enough to begin growing his mane. His earrings and bracelets jangled melodically, his feathers rustling in his hair. Lashing his tail so the flame burning at the end sputtered fiercely, he moved on. There wasn't much time left. His parents had to be close, at least he hoped. Carefully following the trail of carnage in the supposed direction taken by his parents, Nanaki was careful not to step on any of the fallen Gi. Let the warriors rest, even if they were foolish.

Nanaki's sleek feline form flowed like water as he picked his way among the deceased bodies. He paid special attention to them, even though he tasted bile in his throat as he did so. He had to be sure his parents bodies weren't among them. The crimson blood that lay pooled and splattered over the Canyon walls matched the color of his coarse fur, both glowing brightly from the glare of the setting sun.

Nanaki's sharp eyes picked out the form of a creature like him. No… it had its differences. This one was older, with graying fur, and sleeker, more feminine. It was his Mother.

"Mother." Nanaki's legs had locked, his mind stubbornly refusing to accept this. "No, Mother. No." She was lying on her side, not twenty feet from him. "Mother, please get up." Blood pooled in a crimson circle around her. "Get up, and smile, laugh, cry, _anything_." Her fur was matted and torn from arrows jutting grotesquely from her beautiful body. "Do anything but lie there, Mother. Please."

Nanaki slowly began to make his way toward his Mother. Conflicting emotions bombarded him at every step. Every pause was an eternity. Every breath, a lifetime. A sudden sound shattered the frozen stillness, causing Nanaki to glance behind him.

One of the Gi warriors still had life in him. Staggering to his feet, he fixed bloodshot eyes on Nanaki and let out a bone-chilling shriek that ran up his spine and paralyzed him with fear. Clutching a small but deadly hatchet, the injured warrior flung himself at his mortal enemy, slashing upwards and into Nanaki's right eye in an instant.

The pain and shock hit him like a thunderbolt. Blood gushed from his wound and his sight was quickly lost. A scream that surprised even himself issued forth from his throat and rang up the Canyon walls, reverberating. Nanaki had never felt such pain before. Surely, he had received the occasional cut and bruise from some stronger monsters, but he had always won in the end. Here, he was not so lucky.

Seething with rage and pain, Nanaki quickly backed away and focused his one good eye on his assailant, crouching defensively. The Gi's eyes were wide, insane. Shrieking again, he lunged for Nanaki's chest to finish him off. Foolishly, he attacked the wrong end, for Nanaki's great jaws were waiting for him.

With a sickening crunch, Nanaki dropped the now truly dead warrior from his mouth onto the hard-trodden Canyon dirt. The horrible taste of blood filled throat. Nanaki trembled uncontrollably. He had never killed like this before. Never like this.

His still-functioning eye wandered over the fallen Gi and met an even more horrible sight. Blind to everything else around him, Nanaki stepped over the bloodied body and crept to where his Mother lay. Her tender face was twisted in pain and agony. Many black-feathered arrows protruded from her body, along with large gashes and scorch marks. She must have died fighting.

"I found her," thought Nanaki, "and I was too late. Too young, too small, and too inexperienced. Always." He had always known that, even though Mother had tried to encourage him, he knew. And Father…

_Father_. "Where…?" Nanaki looked left and right for any sign of his Father. None. Where on earth was he? Where was he when Mother was getting slaughtered? Was he even there when she set out to fight the Gi? No. He must have ran. But running would make him…

"A coward," Nanaki whispered, so softly it may have only been the wind. Father, a coward. He ran, ran and abandoned Mother to her death. Nanaki looked down at his Mother's body at his feet. Because of his fear, she was dead. She would never smile, laugh, run, cry, or do anything ever again. She could only lie there, rotting.

"Damn you, Father!" Nanaki screamed out at the empty Canyon walls. "Damn you! Damn you! You left her to die, you heartless coward! Your own mate lies dead here because of you! I will never forgive you, Father! Never!!!"

The tears that stung Nanaki's eyes finally spilled forth, dribbling down his bloodied and aching face. He would never forgive Father, the coward who left his mate to die so he could live. Fear, pain, anger, and sadness welled up in him until he felt he would burst. Roiling and surging within, it erupted from Nanaki in the form of a long, wordless howl, rolling off his tongue into the now starry night. The mournful cry slid up and around the great Canyon walls, filling every corner and crevice with the sound of his indescribable torment.

Having finally dispelled the anguish that threatened to strike him down and crush him, Nanaki felt his body fall limply to the rich, red earth of the Canyon. Giving one last sigh of sadness, he let go of consciousness and knew nothing more.

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The comforting throb of candlelight against Nanaki's eyelids welcomed him as he awoke. Soft drumbeats could be heard from the Canyon Square, setting him more at ease. The familiar whirring and creaking from his Grandfather's windmill blades met his ears.

"Grandfather!"

Nanaki's eyes snapped open, or at least one did. The right side of his face was heavily bandaged, covering his wounded eye. A sickening feeling crept into Nanaki's stomach as he swung his good eye about in search of his Grandfather. "Please," he prayed, "leave me my Grandfather. I know it's selfish, but if anything happened to him, _anything_…"

"Nanaki." The voice instantly relaxed him. His good eye slid upwards and met his Grandfather's. He was here. He was safe.

Floating there, Bugenhagen was a somewhat comical sight. He was human in appearance, despite the fact he floated around rather than walked. He was too old for that. The snow-white hair pulled back in a small ponytail clashed with the deep blue robe and green bindings covering his lower half. Eyes that held the world's knowledge and secrets were shaded by dark sunglasses perched on his wrinkled, wizened face. That calculating stare searched Nanaki's heart and gave him the peace he so yearned for.

"The Gi…" he began.

"I'll get them," Nanaki rasped, his throat bone dry. "I'll get them for what they did… to her…" He weakly tried to raise himself from the bed he occupied to demonstrate his power, but Grandfather's gentle hand settled him back into his blankets.

"It's alright, Nanaki." The candle's light flickered on the old man's smiling features, throwing shadows around the small room cluttered with astronomical and scientific instruments. "Look at you. You were nearly half-dead when I found you, and you want to go after them, child? Ho ho hoooo…" He chuckled warmly.

Nanaki swallowed and laid his head back on the soft pillow lying at his paws, careful to avoid putting pressure on his injured side. Grandfather was right. There was a deep ache pulsing through his body, and his paws and legs were still burning. There was no way he could even stand up against, much less fight the Gi. If he went, he would surely die.

"It doesn't matter, anyway." Grandfather's voice pulled Nanaki from his dark brooding. "They are all gone now. The Gi, or what is left of them, have retreated. We have won."

_Won_. The word sent a thrill through Nanaki's body. Perhaps Mother hadn't died in vain. Perhaps her death actually meant something. Perhaps…

"Where's… Father?" The word tasted bitter in his mouth, as if it were a dirty oath that didn't belong. Wincing inwardly, Nanaki gulped and went on, voice trembling uncontrollably. "Have you… found him?"

Grandfather hesitated before answering, a bad sign. "No. No one has seen him since he left with your Mother this morning. We believe he is dead, since he has not returned…"

"He's not dead…" Nanaki murmured against his pillow. "He ran. Ran away, like the heartless coward he is. He left her… and I… will never… forgive…"

"Nanaki," Grandfather cut him off. "What's passed is passed. Live for today. Your wound will heal," he gestured at Nanaki's bandaged eye, "and you will grow. Do you want that hatred, that poison to fester inside your heart? Do not bring about your own end, child. Do not kill yourself. Ho ho hoooo…" He laughed softly to himself. "Take that hatred and anger and use it to defeat your enemies, not yourself. One day, you will help change the world. I can feel it. With your power, the future will open. Do not forget that, ever. For I will always watch over you…"

Nanaki never heard a word of those last few sentences. He was already fast asleep, his chest heaving up and down in the age-old rhythm of sleep.

Bugenhagen smiled, his eyes twinkling behind his sunglasses. This boy was special. Floating over to the candles, he softly blew them out and moved toward the door. Turning back to his beloved grandson, he paused. Nanaki flicked an ear and shifted in his sleep, dreaming peaceful dreams. A broad smile spread over Bugenhagen's face. Yes, oh yes. His grandson was _very_ special. But now was not the time for that. It would come. Soon. Quietly, so as not to disturb Nanaki, he closed the door and floated down to the village bonfire.

-End Chapter 1-

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII.

Author's Note: Well, there you go. I hope you liked it. The next chapters will follow soon after. It's a bit short, but still good, I suppose. Read and review, please!


	2. Chapter 2: Dreaming

Author's Note: Mmkay. Here's the next one. Hope you like it as much as the first one. Next chapter is the last. Read and review, please!

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII.

Cosmo Memory

Chapter 2

Dreaming

The wind whistled softly through the Canyon and stirred Nanaki's mane as he trotted on the harshly sun-burnt rocks. Today was a beautiful day. Small birds chirped from the sparse trees and lizards scuttled around, dashing into crevices as Nanaki came close. The sun blazed wonderfully, warming the ground and the heart with its golden rays. Nanaki squinted up at it. Today was a beautiful day.

Even though nearly thirty years had passed, he stilled remembered that day. Seeing his Mother, dead, his Father, gone, receiving his scar…

Nanaki winced. His scar. It was difficult to live with one eye, but manageable. The puckered scar that sealed his right eye shut couldn't be healed by his Grandfather or anyone else. So, he had just said forget it and left it alone. Now, after so many years had passed, he had grown accustomed to his limited sight. Even the people of the Canyon had accepted it and treated him no differently from before.

Nanaki glanced back over his shoulder at the village. With is sharp eyes he could see the bonfire burning in the center, the numerous windmills churning tirelessly in the wing, and his Grandfather's laboratory perched at the very top. Small wooden houses peeked from crevices and caves that dotted the Canyon walls.

"There is no other place as beautiful," Nanaki thought to himself. It was a wonderful place to grow up. And his Grandfather had been right. Grow, he did.

His body had lost the gangly, long-legged form of an adolescent and become cat-like, with lithe, thin muscles that knitted themselves up and down his torso and flanks. His long, thick tail whipped back and forth with nigh-impossible grace, the flame at its tip crackling endlessly. Bracelets and earrings jangled on his legs and peaked ears, shimmering and glinting in the blinding sun. Blue and white feathers peeked out from his now bushy deep brown mane that arched up between his muscular shoulders. His feline face had the look of a hard life, and green face paint was applied under both eyes. Ceremonial tattoos adorned his left shoulder and haunch, a symbol of his strength. Nanaki was a formidable sight.

Turning his nose to the wind, Nanaki inhaled the unforgettable scent of the Canyon. Everything was perfect today. There weren't even any of the local monsters in sight.

"Strange…" he thought suddenly. "There are always monsters. Where are they?" Perking his ears, he listened intently for any sign of their whereabouts. Only the soft whispers of the wind and the chirping of birds met his ears. Nothing seemed amiss. Perhaps, he was wrong. Perhaps…

Nanaki shrugged off his nervousness and cleared his mind. There was nothing wrong. Nothing strange had happened for years. Why should something happen now?

Padding lazily over to an isolated cliff, he sank down onto his side and stretched out to soak up the glorious sun. Soon, he was purring happily. The sun was warm, and the wind was cool. What else could be needed? Nanaki was at peace. His mind began to wander, and what had taken place that morning drifted into his head.

Grandfather had asked him not to wander around the Canyon. "It was a warning," he said. "Something is coming. I do not like it."

"Warning, my tail," Nanaki had snorted before leaving anyway. He was an experienced fighter and could take care of himself. Just the other day he had come home from roaming the Canyon, fighting monsters all day without receiving a single scratch. "What do you say to that, Gramps?"

Nanaki chuckled to himself and rolled onto his back. Perhaps he had been a bit disrespectful to his Grandfather by blatantly refusing to stay at home. But he was almost fully-grown now, and wanted to make his own decisions. What right did his Grandfather have to deny him that?

A flock of birds flew over him, shrieking loudly. Peeking his eye open, Nanaki watched as they flew off into the distance. "Where are they going?" He thought idly. He closed his eye and shifted into a more comfortable position. "Not my business." Emptying his mind of all thought, he lay basking in the sun and listened to the voice of the wind. It rose and fell, singing to him, mincing with the song of the birds…

_There were no birds singing._

Nanaki's eye snapped open and slowly crept to his feet. He was right. No sound but the breeze was heard. No birds, no beasts, not even any crickets. Only the lonely drone of the wind.

Swiveling his head to and fro, Nanaki's mind quickly filled with questions and thoughts. "The birds were singing just minutes ago. Why stop now? Why did they fly away? Did something… startle them?"

No. Nanaki would have seen or heart it.

"Where are the monsters?" They always lurked around when the sun was high. He should have crossed paths with at least one this morning. Yet, they were strangely absent. "Are they hiding? Is there some unseen danger around?"

No. Nanaki would have seen or heard it.

Come to think of it, he could not see any living thing other than himself. No lizards lay sunning themselves on the rocks. No snakes slithered around the underbrush. No crickets chirped. No birds. No monsters.

"Why?" Where was everything? Nanaki was all alone with the wind. Why had he only the wind and rocks as companions. Why was it so quiet? Why? Why? Why? "Is something… out there?"

No. Nanaki would have seen or heard it.

And yet he hadn't.

Nanaki turned and slowly slunk along the rocks, nervously glancing over his shoulder. Something _was_ out there. There was no smell, no sound, and nothing to be seen. But his instincts served him well. It told him all was not safe, that he best get home quickly.

"Grandfather was right," Nanaki thought, casting worried glances over the silent Canyon. "This _is_ something coming. Grandfather was right to warn me. Why didn't I listen to him, instead of running my mouth?"

A sudden sound caused Nanaki's muscles to freeze in panic. His ears stiffened upright and caught the intrusion of the silence. The wound was a soft hiss, not unlike the hissing of the black snakes that wandered the Canyon, or the sound of escaping air…

A sudden plume of dust swirled around him, clogging his vision and startling him. It was oddly colored and didn't smell quite right. Nanaki inhaled sharply and knew it wasn't dust. So, what was it? He flicked his tongue out and tasted it cautiously. It had been a sharp, sour taste. Nanaki sneezed violently. The strange cloud now surrounded him in a thick layer. It tickled his throat when he breathed and suddenly it was all he could do not to close his eyes and drift away… drift slowly away… to sleep… forever…

NO!

Nanaki forced his eyes to open, but his vision was blurred and the ground before him swam. His legs felt leaden, slow to respond and heavy and mountains, while a ceaseless buzzing rang in his ears and there was that awful but irresistible desire to close his eyes and just… sleep…

Grunting with effort, Nanaki forced himself to move. Lurching to his feet, he stumbled blindly over rocks and sparse brush. "Which was is the village? East? West? Left? Right?" It no longer mattered. He just had to keep moving, had to stay awake. He was strong. He could survive this. Nothing could defeat him.

Nanaki tripped clumsily over a dried log he had somehow failed to see and went crashing down. Panting, tongue lolling, he tried vainly to rise, but his muscles were water and had no strength. He had nothing left to give. He was as dried up as the log that lay at his feet. He sagged back down to the earthen floor, breathing heavily, and thought feebly of Grandfather. "Who will take care of his now?" As Nanaki slowly drifted off, he heard strange voices approaching over the monstrous buzzing, and saw dark shapes swimming before him as he fell soundly asleep.

And he dreamed.

He was running again. Always running. The pounding of his paws. The panting of his jaws. The burning of his chest. It was the same. It was happening all over again.

"No. Please. Not again." He stopped on a craggy ledge and swept his gaze over the Canyon. Nanaki gave a snort of surprise. His right eye was open and working once again. In fact, he'd never seen better. "No. Turn around." He tried, but his body would not allow him to. He could hear the people in the village, chanting to the gods for protection against the Gi. How he longed for this dream to end. He had seen this happen once before… but to see it again… that would be…

His body moved against his will, continuing down the rocky path, the path he knew so well, the path that was burned in his memory, clear as crystal and unforgettable. There were the bodies of the fallen Gi. There was the blood, splashed on the walls of floor of the Canyon. And yes… there she was. His mother.

A soft scrape came from behind him. Yes, he knew. The Gi warrior was once again rising up. Lifting his hatchet, he shrieked that familiar cry of hatred, and threw himself at Nanaki. Once again, there was blinding pain as the hatchet met his eye. Once again, Nanaki ended the life of the warrior. And once again, he turned to his Mother's body.

Her fur was golden instead of red, and her open eyes blazed with light. She stood up on her delicate paws and tenderly licked his wounded eye.

"Nanaki… my sweet… it's alright now… I'm here…" she crooned to him. Nuzzling his mane, she snuggled close. Nanaki couldn't stop the sob that ripped from his throat as he pressed his face into her golden fur, breathing in her warm scent. It was his Mother. She was alive. Everything would be alright now. He closed his and eyes relaxed.

"Nanaki." Her voice was somehow different. Deeper, and harsher. Nanaki opened his eye and jerked away in surprise. It was no longer his Mother next to him. It was his Father.

The golden hue of his Mother's fur had been replaced with the midnight black of his Father's, and the blazing eyes now glowed blood red.

"Nanaki." It came out a snarl, as his Father bared his teeth. Nanaki's eyes widened with fear, and he backed away hurriedly. The blood seeping over his eye made the blurred image of his Father look even more frightful.

His Father roared and leapt at him, claws gleaming brightly. Nanaki dodged clumsily and narrowly escaped the strike. Whirling around, he quickly focused his one good eye on his Father, readying himself for the next attack. Turning slowly, his Father met his gaze with his hideous eyes and stalked toward him. He feinted left, then shot his right paw out and rakes his claws down Nanaki's unprotected side. He shrieked in pain and leapt away, red droplets splattering. His Father took advantage of the situation and charged his son, knocking him over and pinning him down easily with his superior weight. Nanaki could smell the fetid breath of his Father as his teeth neared his throat. Nanaki twisted violently at the last second, and his Father instead sank his teeth into his shoulder. Snarling against the pain, Nanaki lunged his head up and to the side, jaws swinging open, and ripped out his Father's throat. His life's blood gushing out, his Father shuddered once and lay still atop him.

Nanaki shoved him painfully off and looked down at his Father. Except it was no longer his father, with his black fur and red eyes. It was his Mother, her golden fur now drenched with crimson blood, and her blazing eyes extinguished. He had killed her. Countless emotions filled him as he raised his blood-soaked muzzle skyward to sing out his anger, confusion, and sadness, before sinking into a dreamless sleep, empty of lost Mothers and merciless Fathers.

-End Chapter 2-

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII.

Author's Note: Last one coming up soon. Hope you like it. Read and review, please.


	3. Chapter 3: Fighting

1Author's Note: Here's the last chapter. I rewrote this mostly for myself – it doesn't matter if no one likes it. I'm proud of it, and that's all there is to it. Meh. Hope you like it anyway. Later. Review if you like.

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII.

Cosmo Memory

Chapter 3

Fighting

Nanaki sat hunched in his small, dark cell. Not that it was dark to him, as humans didn't have the heightened senses he was lucky enough to own. Also helping fight the confining darkness was the flickering light exuding from the ever-burning flame at the tip of his tail. With its haunting glow and his own powerful ability of sight, he could clearly see the close walls and low ceiling of his prison, which seemed to shrink and draw closer each time he glanced at them. No sound reached his ears save the controlled breath he expelled from his lungs as he waited for something to happen. The darkened cell smelled sterile and dead, the metallic walls dull and lifeless. It was giving him a headache. Not to mention the floor was cold to the touch, causing Nanaki to shiver in a vain attempt to keep himself warm.

Shifting awkwardly to alleviate the cramped feeling of his long legs, Nanaki winced as a sharp lance of pain sang up his left shoulder. Craning his neck over, he glared angrily at the smoky black roman numerals that had been stamped painfully there while he had slept. They'd been there when he'd woken, hot as the sun and painful to the touch. His captors must have applied them minutes before he'd risen. They ached and burned, a bad sign. Perhaps the new tattoo was infected.

"That would be just my luck," Nanaki grumbled to himself, leaning to lick at the throbbing mark. He gave a soft chuckle. Luck. How ironic. He glanced again at the accursed tattoo, studying it with an air of depression mixed with resignation.

_XIII_.

"I just had to get the unlucky number, didn't I?" Nanaki narrowed his eye, trying to will the mark away. "Why not VI or VII? Oh, forget it. This is stupid." He rolled over onto his side, sighing heavily. His mind felt sluggish and numb, as he'd been confined to the darkness of his cell for what seemed to be a lifetime. His captors seemed to have all the time in the world, considering the way they were treating him. But then again, Nanaki hadn't expected to be brought out with flowers and confetti. To be honest, his stomach twisted each time he remembered that sooner or later, he _would_ meet the ones responsible. The question was, did he really want to meet them?

For the hundredth time, Nanaki thought of a plan to escape. For the hundredth time, he knew it wouldn't work, no matter how brilliant it seemed. He'd been sitting in the dark for hours, with no food or water, and was beginning to feel a bit weak and light-headed. He found himself hoping his captors presented themselves soon, just so there would be a chance they'd feed him after.

Nanaki closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. Patience. They wouldn't capture and brand him just to let him starve to death in a cell. These people, whoever they were, had captured him for a reason. He just had to wait. As his Grandfather always said, 'Good things come those who wait.'

"Grandfather." Nanaki couldn't help but whimper. Grandfather was all alone now. What if something happened to him? What if those damned Gi decided to attack the Canyon again? The villagers were weak, not nearly as strong as Nanaki, and wouldn't stand a chance if those monsters chose to strike at his home once again. He seethed inwardly as his thoughts shifted to his Father's whereabouts and responsibilities. "If you were home, Father, _you_ could protect him. I wouldn't have to worry. I'd know Grandfather was safe. But, no. You ran. You're gone. Coward… coward…"

Nanaki snarled aloud, startling himself with the intensity of his outburst. Gulping back his anger, he turned his mind to other things. It was useless to think of his Father now. Not here. He had to think of a way out, a way to get free, to-

_BZZZZRT_!

Nanaki jumped in surprise as a loud noise sounded, blasting into his ears and addling his brain. Quickly rising, he grit his teeth against the pain of his sore limbs, cramped after the long hours of stillness. Something was happening.

He nearly fell over as the floor of his prison suddenly began to rise along with the ceiling, humming loudly while climbing higher as the walls slid past. Crouching defensively, Nanaki peered out from beneath his mane, scanning the passing walls for windows or vents. They could prove to be optimum routs for escaping. If only he could find one.

There were none. Nanaki growled low in disappointment, but cut off short as the wall in front of him changed from metal to glass. Light spilled in, causing him to blink several times while his eye adjusted to the bright lights. His cell slowed to a stop with the large pane of glass before him, giving him a high-quality view of the room beyond. It was a sterile white, and littered with sinister scientific tools and equipment which looked a whole lot more different and painful than the ones his Grandfather owned. Several men were crowded close to the glass, and were staring intently at him, excited and eager expressions painted on their faces. As he laid eyes on the closest one, Nanaki involuntarily shuddered in revulsion.

The man wore a long, white coat and round spectacles were perched on his nose. His long, greasy hair was pulled back into a ponytail that framed his face and trailed down his back. His face was haggard and thin, almost skeletal. But most disturbing about the man were his eyes. They were ice blue and dead, as if no soul inhabited his body. Nanaki knew as he stared into the man's cold, lifeless eyes that he was insane.

Smiling crookedly, the scientist leaned forward to press a small button on a panel, disturbing eyes still glued to his prize.

"Hello, Red XII," he said in a voice just as emotionless as his eyes. "My name is Professor Hojo."

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Nanaki lay on the darkened floor of his prison, now grateful for its coolness, as it helped dim the aching of his bruised and battered body. Every part of him hurt, even his mowhawk, it seemed. The damned scientists had conducted experiment after experiment on him – blood tests, agility tests, aerobic tests, tests he didn't even know what to name. He'd been a circus animal for them for hours, to the point of exhaustion. Only after he'd performed to their satisfaction had he been given food and water. It was tasteless and unappetizing, but he wolfed it down anyway. It wasn't as if he had a choice in the matter. Now he lay, trying to rest and regain his strength, his whole body throbbing in pain.

"Grandfather…" Nanaki whimpered softly, burying his face into his paws. "I'm sorry…" He closed his eye, begging for sleep to come. It was a long time before it did.

--------------------------------------------

Nanaki sat quietly in his cell, waiting for the buzzer to sound and the room to lift. For days, the experiments had gone on, and Nanaki had settled into a routine. Eat. Sleep. Pain. Eat. Sleep. Pain. He'd just woken from sleeping, so now it was time for pain.

He'd had a strange dream last night. A very strange dream. At first, it had been a nightmare, with scientists peering in at him through a glass barrier with wicked smiles on their faces. Nanaki had squeezed his eye shut in fright, trying to force himself awake. It didn't work. When he finally dared to crack his eye open again, they'd been gone. He relaxed, sighing with relief. Then a strange knocking sound began disturbing him. Reopening his eye, he'd seen the silhouette of a person, perhaps a human female standing on the other side of the glass, watching him with sad eyes. Nanaki had turned away, ignoring her. She knocked several more times, but he didn't look at her again. She must have given up and walked away. There, the dream had ended. It had stayed with him upon waking, which was rather odd. Nanaki could count the number of dreams he remembered on his two front paws, and wondered at this one, the oddest of them all.

Flicking his tail in annoyance, Nanaki gave his XIII tattoo an evil glare before snorting. The scientists hadn't brought him up yet. He was able to estimate the cycle of time, and knew the normal time they brought him up had long since passed. Had something happened up top? Perhaps they had a new specimen to play with.

"I wish." Nanaki grumbled, voice dripping with sarcasm. Even if they did have another toy, the scientists still wouldn't be willing to just let him go. No, they never would, the heartless bastards…

_BZZZZRT!_

Nanaki's head lifted, pausing in his brooding. The room was moving upward once more, bringing him to the room with the scientists. Nanaki steeled himself for the pain he knew was coming and waited.

"I knew it," he thought sadly. "Please, let me pass out quickly this time, so I don't have to go through all that pain again." But when he was deposited into the familiar chamber, there were no scientists there to poke and observe, then poke again. There was a girl inside the chamber with him.

She was pressed against the glass wall, eyes wide with fear as Nanaki rose up from the hole in the floor. Her long auburn hair was braided, and she wore a red vest with a pink dress. Large boots adorned her feet. She stared at him like he was a monster.

Nanaki stared back in confusion. Who was this girl? She certainly looked human. Then he noticed the people outside the chamber. Strangers, three of them. Two men and another girl.

One man, obviously the leader of the pack, had blond, spiky hair and dark overalls. He carried an enormous sword as long as he was tall. The other girl had long brown hair gathered at the end, and wore a white tank top complete with a short black skirt. The other man was amazing. He towered over the other two, a burly black man riddled with bulging muscles. His left arm had not a hand, but a barrel of a gun. Who on earth were these people? What were they doing here? What was going on?

Casting about for answers, Nanaki froze as his eyes met the object of his newfound hatred and terror. There he was. That man- no. He didn't deserve to be called a man. That _creature_, with the spotless white lab coat and unkempt ponytail, and the wild, crazy eyes stood out there, addressing the newcomers. Him. Hojo.

Nanaki shrank against the floor, trembling uncontrollably as thick waves of loathing coursed through him. "Not him, please." The stranger's mouths moved, but he couldn't hear them speaking. The glass of the chamber was sound proof. "I'll take any other scientist but him. Please." He saw Hojo mouth the word. That awful, terrible word.

"Specimen."

An idea popped into Nanaki's head. It was rather rash, but there was a chance it might work. Springing up from the ground, he barked his fangs and snarled menacingly at the girl in his chamber. She gave a loud shriek and ran to the other side of the room, trapped.

"Cloud, help!" She wailed, beating futilely at the glass barrier. Nanaki had learned already that wouldn't work. As he expected, the strangers outside became upset. As he hoped, the large black man raised his gun-arm and aimed it at the chamber, blowing off several rounds. The sound was deafening. Shattered glass flew. So did Nanaki.

Out, out of that horrible chamber, where so much pain and suffering had taken place. Nanaki went straight for him. Hojo didn't even have time to scream before Nanaki's jaws met his throat. He fell, Nanaki on top, tearing at him with a vengeance. He wanted to kill him, claw him, crush him. But he forced himself to stop. He wasn't like this devil of a man. He would show mercy.

A familiar humming caught his attention. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that the blond man and his companions had retrieved the girl from the broken chamber, but were now staring in confusion as the elevator began rising again. Something else was coming up.

"Cloud, what's wrong?" The girl in the skirt asked anxiously.

"…The elevator is moving." Cloud narrowed his eyes and gripped his sword. Nanaki quickly sniffed the air and knew the scent. It was one of the other experiments. Nanaki had fought it before for one of the scientists' 'tests'. It was coming up the elevator.

"This is no ordinary specimen." Hojo gasped out, struggling to breath through his ruined throat. "This is a very ferocious specimen!" He cackled insanely. Nanaki gave him a withering glare, then moved off him and turned to the others.

"He's rather strong," he said softly. "I'll help you all out." The strangers' reactions weren't ones he was used to. They all stared at him, wide-eyed.

"It talked!?" The girl in the skirt squeaked in surprise. Nanaki rolled his one eye.

"I'll talk as much as you want later, miss." He ground out, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"We'll take care of that monster." Cloud glanced over at the girl in pink. "Somebody take Aeris somewhere safe." He motioned to the other girl. "Tifa, I'm countin' on you!" She nodded and, taking Aeris's hand, retreated to the other side of the laboratory. Cloud looked at Nanaki, meeting his eye. "What's your name?"

He opened his mouth to say, 'Nanaki', but paused. This was not Nanaki. This blood-covered, dirty, branded creature was not Nanaki. He was something else now. Something new. Perhaps he would become Nanaki again someday, but not now.

"Hojo has named me, Red XIII," Red XIII answered. "A name with no meaning whatsoever to me." Cloud nodded in acceptance.

The specimen rose from the floor, shrieking its war cry. It was a writhing mass of flesh, complete with mashing mouths and arms protruding from places they certainly didn't belong. Small parasites crawled over its body, then hopped to the floor as the thing howled again. The stench was almost unbearable.

"Come on!" Cloud cried, leveling his blade into position. The huge man followed suit with aiming his gun-arm. Red XIII growled and leapt at the specimen.

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The new cell was better than the first. It was warmer, and well-lit, with a toilet and bed furnished the room, but it wasn't like Red XIII would use either of them. Then again, this was a prison cell, not an experimental chamber. He supposed it was a sort of step up from the cold, dark cell he was used to.

After Red XIII and the others had beaten the malevolent specimen into a bloody pulp, they'd attempted to escape. Bad idea. They'd been caught shortly after, and taken before the very President of Shinra. Red XIII had never seen so much hatred, greed, and anger in someone's eyes before. It was as if the man was almost as heartless as Professor Hojo. Almost.

And now they sat and waited in their prison cells, preparing to be executed. How wonderful.

"And of course they had to stick me with the one who never shuts up." Red XIII thought sulkily, checking on the large black man seated behind him, rambling on and on about something or other. He'd said he name was Barret, and he was a member of some resistance group called Avalanche. Red XIII had tuned him out shortly after, as the man was extremely long-winded and would make one hell of a motivational speaker. He just needed the right audience, who, in this case, was anyone other than Red XIII. He decided to check in to see if the man had changed subjects.

"-the Promised Land is and the Shinra is searching for that Promised Land. I only heard stories 'bout the Promised Land. I don't know if it really exists. Is that right? The Shinra believe that the Promised Land is full of Mako energy. Which means, if the Shinra get there, they'll suck up all the Mako energy, and the land will wither away. The Planet's gonna get weaker. I can't just-"

Nope. It hadn't changed one bit. Red XIII licked his nose and hunkered down on the floor, wondering how he was ever going to get to sleep.

"You're so damn boring." Barret huffed, crossing his arms. Red XIII's mind was on other things.

"…Grandpa…"

"Grandpa?" Barret cocked his head, staring quizzically at Red XII. "Bwahahahaha! …_Grandpa_. Hmmhahahahaha!"

"What's so funny?" Red XIII raised his head to give him a threatening look. Barret quickly bit his lip to stifle his laughing.

"Nothin'." He chocked out, then giggled hysterically. "_Grandpa_. Hahahaha!"

Red XIII closed his eye and rolled over. It was going to be a long night.

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Red XIII's eye snapped open. Something was wrong. Very wrong. The smell of blood was thick in the air. No, murder. The word came unbidden into his mind. A dirty, filthy word. Slowly lifting his head, he eyed the slumbering giant sprawled on the tiny bed, snoring loudly. He swung his head near Barret's exposed arm and nipped him, hard.

"Dawwgh! Mother bleeper!" Barret jerked awake, eyes wide, arms flailing. He almost fell off the bed but managed to catch himself just in time. He glared at Red XIII heatedly. "What the hell wuz that for?!"

"Get up." Red XIII met his glare fearlessly. "Something is happening." Barret scowled, but complied. Minutes later, the cell door slid open suddenly, revealing a grim-faced Cloud and the two girls standing out in the hall. They all looked scared. Red XIII quickly saw why. Their guard lay on the ground, in a pool of his own blood. Something had indeed happened.

The group cautiously made their way through the prison into the laboratory beyond. There, vials, beakers, and other scientific equipment were strewn in disarray on the floor. As Red XIII quietly padded his way through the lab, carefully avoiding the broken glass, he stopped short as an unknown smell assaulted his nostrils. It was sharp, bitter, and acidic. He had never smelled it before, and certainly didn't want to smell it for long. It made his head hurt terribly.

Rounding the corner, he spotted the source of the unpleasant smell. Blood was smeared in a messy trail, leading out of the lab to the elevator. Red XIII shuddered in revulsion as Cloud and the others approached from behind. They moved as a unit, following the red trail to find the thing that had caused it. It came to an end in the President's office, where he was slumped over his desk, dead, with a sword in his back.

Murder. The word flashed into Red XIII's mind once again. He suddenly felt queasy.

"Sephiroth…" Cloud spoke the name like an oath, hatred exuding from every syllable.

"That's some name," Red XIII thought to himself. His ears stiffened as yet another strange sound reached his ears. It sounded like an enormous birds flapping wings, and it was drawing closer. Everyone ran outside to see a large flying contraption drop off a young, blond man in a white coat. He introduced himself as President Shinra's son, Rufus, then launched into a lengthy campaign speech about how fortunate it was that he had control of the company now. Red XIII didn't listen to a word.

"Your father was a fool," he thought fiercely, glaring at Rufus. "He killed innocent people in the slums of Midgar, trying to get to the members of Avalanche. A fool. And you are definitely for father's son."

Cloud, with a dangerous look in his eye, ordered everyone to leave. He would deal with this man himself. Everyone nervously obeyed, although Tifa stubbornly refused and stayed behind with Cloud. Red XIII shrugged and continued down the enormous Shinra building.

Several floors and fights later, Red XIII, Barret, and Aeris had finally made it to the ground floor. Barret ducked out the front doors to see if the coast was clear, but came rushing back in with bullets whizzing after. He shot off a few rounds in retaliation, then growled low in his throat.

"Bleep …surrounded, huh? If I was alone this wouldn't be a thang but, I gotta reputation to protect." He rumbled to himself. Aeris bit her lip and looked from him to Red XIII.

"You all get out while you can," she declared boldly. "It's not you they're after, it's me." Barret frowned along with Red XIII and gave her a stern look.

"Yeah, well that ain't happenin'." He grinned widely. "You got caught up in this over Marlene. Now, it's my turn to watch out for you!" He turned back to the offending front doors. "Ok, playtime's over for you jackasses!" Aeris smiled warmly, her whole face glowing.

"Thank you, Mr. Barret!"

"Who you callin' Mr. Barret?" Barret's grin grew wider. "That don't sound right!"

"Well then, if you are through talking, may I suggest that we think of a way to get out of here?" Red XIII snapped the two back to the present and their predicament.

"Huh?" Barret paused, scratching at the stubble on his chin while regarding the red feline. "Oh, oh yeah. You a cold man. Just like someone else 'round here I know."

"Did you say something?" Red XIII asked, one eyebrow ridge rising threateningly.

"Notta thing." Barret turned his attention back to the soldiers waiting outside. "So what're we gonna do?"

"Barret!!" Tifa appeared at the top of the stairs, calling down to them. The others turned in surprise.

"Tifa! Where's Cloud?" The large man noticed she was alone.

"Everyone, over here!" Tifa ignored him and motioned for the others to follow.

"Huh? What's up? Where's Cloud?" Barret wanted an explanation.

"I'll tell you later! Hurry, hurry!" Tifa was nearly hopping up and down in excitement. The others exchanged amused looks before following her. Tifa led them to one of the many rooms of the Shinra building where old, antique vehicles sat on platforms. She quickly jumped in and started up a light green truck, with Aeris climbing into the passenger side seat. As the rickety truck roared to life and took off, Barret and Red XIII barely had time to scramble into the back.

The cold metal vibrated intensely under Red XIII's paws, shaking him to his bones. Peeking over the edge of the back frame, he spotted Cloud driving a motorcycle behind them. Giving a growl of amusement, Red XIII turned and instantly yowled like a cat as the truck smashed its way through a window and literally flew down to the waiting highway below. After a leg-jarring landing, the truck miraculously kept its balance and resumed its course away from the building. A loud thud signaled Cloud following.

"This is great." Red XIII thought. "My saviors are a gaggle of suicidal maniacs. At this rate I'll be dead within the hour. I should have never left the Canyon."

The gang quickly realized Cloud was not the only person on motorcycle. Shinra soldiers had been dispatched and were riding in hot pursuit, pulling in close to try to strike at the truck's occupants. All in vain, as Cloud expertly wielded his keen blade and cut down the attackers. Barret crouched and took a few potshots of his own.

The wind roared in Red XIII's ears, while Barret's bullets whined through the air above his head. He wanted to sink into the floor of the truck, just to get away from it all. For a split second, time stood still. Then he and Barret were slamming into the front of the truck as it came to a screeching halt. Dazed but unhurt, Red XIII picked himself up and looked out across the empty expanse before him where the highway ended abruptly. The sun was just sinking below the faraway hills, casting fantastic hues of red, orange, and pink across the sky. It reminded him of the Canyon, of home.

Home. He would be there soon. He had done it. He had escaped.

-The End-

Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII.

Author's Note: Yessss, finished! Sorry it seemed so rushed at the end. There was just too frickin' much to write! It turned out pretty dang long, too. I also kept dialogue down to a minimum, as I really don't remember what everyone said (I played this game a while ago), but even if everything isn't the same, hey, I tried, and besides, this is just a fanfic, and it doesn't have to be perfect. And yeah, I left out the elevator and end of the highway boss fights. They're not essential to the story and would just eat up more space. Not to mention I suck at fight scenes. Hope ya like it anyway. Review if ya want. Later.


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